Seven associations of users of water for irrigation by the end of this month will sign agreements by which Moldova’s Waters Agency will transfer the management and the centralized irrigation systems to them in order to reduce the negative effects of the drought. The action forms part of the Compact Program for 2010-2015, Info-Prim Neo reports. Moldova Millennium Challenge Fund executive director Valentina Badrajan told a news conference that the Compact covers eleven associations with eleven irrigation systems, seven of which are operational already and work partially or fully. A contract is to be signed at the end of March with a company that will deal with the rehabilitation of the irrigation systems in Lopatna and Criuleni. Valentina Badrajan explained that when transferring the management from Moldova’s Waters Agency to the associations of users of water, the property will continue to remain public, but will be managed by the associations. Seven associations of users of water for irrigation have been founded in Moldova so far. These associations received support in working out a business plan by which to determine the tariff policy. According to Valentina Badrajan, the most serious challenges of 2013 are related to the completion of irrigation projects and the initiation of works to rehabilitate the old irrigation systems. “It’s not simple to finish the designing works when the amount of money is limited. We will propose new strategies for some of the irrigation systems in southern Moldova, which is often affected by drought and needs water,” she stated. The associations of users of water for irrigation bring together over 6,700 agricultural producers that cultivate 15,500 hectares of farmland. The reform of the irrigation sector is one of the activities of the Transition to Modern Agriculture project of the Compact Program, which is implemented by the Moldova Millennium Challenge Fund in 2010-2015. The reform is done by Euroconsult Mott MacDonald in concert with the National Agency for Rural Development ACSA.